Why don't more people cycle to work?

robinph · 20-05-2018 7:35am

You guys are admittedly going to need showers on arrival at work, but then you are cyclists who happen to use your fitness equipment to get to work.

To get more people cycling to work though you need the rest of the population to use their bikes for transport, not for getting them to work as fast as they possibly can. If these people are cycling to work and needing a shower then they are going too fast.

I would occasionally run to work and would need a shower on arrival. Just putting on my running shoes doesn't mean that I have to run though. Perfectly possible to walk wearing the same shoes and not need a shower at the other end. Cycling for commuting doesn't need to be a race.

Rechuchote · 20-05-2018 8:11am

Some people sweat more than others; some people's sweat (and sperm, and vaginal secretions, and earwax, and all kinds of detritus) smells stronger than others'. Anyway, for hygiene and pleasantness alone, it's nice to be able to have a five-minute freshen-up shower when you finish a vigorous cycle, especially through city traffic.

Wishbone Ash · 20-05-2018 8:12am

robinph wrote: »

... Cycling for commuting doesn't need to be a race.

It's all about being a race. There'd be no fun otherwise!

On a serious note though, some of the cyclists who enter races may get very little opportunity to train due to work and family commitments. A good hard commute can help substitute some of that missed training.

magicbastarder · 20-05-2018 9:09am

robinph wrote: »

You guys are admittedly going to need showers on arrival at work, but then you are cyclists who happen to use your fitness equipment to get to work.

To get more people cycling to work though you need the rest of the population to use their bikes for transport, not for getting them to work as fast as they possibly can. If these people are cycling to work and needing a shower then they are going too fast.

I would occasionally run to work and would need a shower on arrival. Just putting on my running shoes doesn't mean that I have to run though. Perfectly possible to walk wearing the same shoes and not need a shower at the other end. Cycling for commuting doesn't need to be a race.

i agree with most of what you say. but for many people, the commute would be far enough that the shower at the end could make the difference between them cycling or not cycling, between them feeling comfortable sitting down with colleagues and them being slightly paranoid.
if my commute was 5km, i'd probably not need a shower (might still do it at the far end if it was available, but it wouldn't be the deciding factor).

plodder · 20-05-2018 12:06pm

Distance wise, some commutes are long enough that they are completely impractical without showering facilities. Having said that, the low hanging fruit for encouraging people out of cars onto bikes, would not be in that category.

Rechuchote · 20-05-2018 12:14pm

Considering half of all <2km journeys in Ireland (not in Dublin, in Ireland) are driven, according to the CSO, surely a lot of people could hop on bikes for these short hops. And a proportion of these would be people who work near home.

07Lapierre · 20-05-2018 1:06pm

plodder wrote: »

Distance wise, some commutes are long enough that they are completely impractical without showering facilities. Having said that, the low hanging fruit for encouraging people out of cars onto bikes, would not be in that category.

It’s not the distance that matters, it’s the elevation. A flat 25k is a lot easier than a 10k uphill drag. You’d sweat more on the 10k uphill commute

plodder · 20-05-2018 1:13pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

It’s not the distance that matters, it’s the elevation. A flat 25k is a lot easier than a 10k uphill drag. You’d sweat more on the 10k uphill commute

Sure, but I think distance matters too. For me anyway, if I'm commuting 25km, I want to do it in an hour or less and I definitely need a shower after that.

2Mad2BeMad · 20-05-2018 1:18pm

theres about 5 very high climbs on my way to work, I just wouldnt be able to do it (24km communte)
If there was 1-2 hills I'd give it a shot as I love to cycle, but no showers at work. (FUNNY ENOUGH, I WORK IN A PLACE THAT SELLS SHOWERS AS A BUSINESS)

Pac1Man · 20-05-2018 1:19pm

Risk of death.

Ultimanemo · 20-05-2018 1:22pm

The Road is so dangerous for cycling.

Wishbone Ash · 20-05-2018 1:25pm

2Mad2BeMad wrote: »

theres about 5 very high climbs on my way to work...

I have an image of you crossing the Stelvio, Timmelsjoch, l'Iseran, Bonnette and Galibier on you way to work!

Grassey · 20-05-2018 2:23pm

Ultimanemo wrote:

The Road is so dangerous for cycling.

Aside from the occasional aggressive pothole lying in wait, the road is not dangerous per say.

Lumen · 20-05-2018 2:26pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

It’s not the distance that matters, it’s the elevation. A flat 25k is a lot easier than a 10k uphill drag. You’d sweat more on the 10k uphill commute

I have a 30km e/w commute with 450m of climbing and manage fine with no shower.

Tenzor07 · 20-05-2018 3:01pm

robinph wrote: »

To get more people cycling to work though you need the rest of the population to use their bikes for transport, not for getting them to work as fast as they possibly can. If these people are cycling to work and needing a shower then they are going too fast..

Erm... Surely people take the bike because it's faster than the car in traffic?

If people were to pootle along without breaking a sweat then they'd have to leave an hour earlier to get to the office?

4068ac1elhodqr · 20-05-2018 3:05pm

This product looks interesting, a cross between a bike/ebike(assist option)/gocart/pod type thing.
http://mypodride.com/ Due out Q4 2018.

Can't be good for the back, but fine for uphill snowy hills.
Regardless, (like bikes) best only on dedicated cycle lanes.

Wishbone Ash · 20-05-2018 5:40pm

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Erm... Surely people take the bike because it's faster than the car in traffic?..

Perhaps, where the commute is largely urban but for many of us who choose to cycle, it's slower than taking the car.

(And there's no changing of clothes involved when driving in).

When I cycle to work, I usually leave between 6 and 6.15am. When I drive, I usually leave between 6.30 and 6.45am.

07Lapierre · 20-05-2018 5:48pm

plodder wrote: »

Sure, but I think distance matters too. For me anyway, if I'm commuting 25km, I want to do it in an hour or less and I definitely need a shower after that.

Well, my commute is 25k and I do it in about 50/55 minutes. No showers where I work but it's not a problem, as my commute is level/downhill. The homeward journey is flat/uphill, which i do in about 1hour.....but I do have a shower at home!

Rechuchote · 20-05-2018 6:46pm

Partly the question in this thread is answered by my post about the new Dublin CyclingWorks in this forum. If we can get the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network built, the roads will be one hell of a lot safer for people riding bicycles to work (or kids to school, or anyone to do the shopping, etc). At the moment it's a bit of a free-for-all.

magicbastarder · 20-05-2018 9:54pm

my wife doesn't cycle to work - she's a nervous enough passenger in the car as it is. where we're living (and she works in the city centre) the obvious route would be down ballymun road, cross the tolka, and through phibsboro and down constitution hill. she's seen enough shenanigans from the trip into town as it is (and the various pinch points along the way) that she has no interest in cycling in when there's a decent set of buses. plus, she often walks about halfway home before hopping on a bus.

droidus · 21-05-2018 9:54am

magicbastarder wrote: »

my wife doesn't cycle to work - she's a nervous enough passenger in the car as it is. where we're living (and she works in the city centre) the obvious route would be down ballymun road, cross the tolka, and through phibsboro and down constitution hill. she's seen enough shenanigans from the trip into town as it is (and the various pinch points along the way) that she has no interest in cycling in when there's a decent set of buses. plus, she often walks about halfway home before hopping on a bus.

I cycle most of the route every day (I join at Botanic Avenue). Phibsboro is a pinch point, but generally its fine.

schemingbohemia · 21-05-2018 10:50am

magicbastarder wrote: »

my wife doesn't cycle to work - she's a nervous enough passenger in the car as it is. where we're living (and she works in the city centre) the obvious route would be down ballymun road, cross the tolka, and through phibsboro and down constitution hill. she's seen enough shenanigans from the trip into town as it is (and the various pinch points along the way) that she has no interest in cycling in when there's a decent set of buses. plus, she often walks about halfway home before hopping on a bus.

droidus wrote: »

I cycle most of the route every day (I join at Botanic Avenue). Phibsboro is a pinch point, but generally its fine.

See that's the issue in a nutshell, it's about the perception of "danger" rather than the actuality.

magicbastarder · 21-05-2018 10:53am

and the fact that we're well served by buses too. we have four bus routes going past the house.

tomasrojo · 21-05-2018 11:06am

schemingbohemia wrote: »

See that's the issue in a nutshell, it's about the perception of "danger" rather than the actuality.

Certainly, the perception of danger is not in itself a trivial matter. I personally find statistics, once I've had a chance to mull over them and sanity-check them, very compelling. I'm in a small minority.